I couldn’t agree more Sally.

I particulary like your insight on observing the natural rythm within ourselves. Sustainable living soes that, it’s one of the amazing side effects I so appreciate.

You say you go to bed around 10pm, I usually dive in around midnight. Although I wake early, I strive to go to bed at the time you do. I am wondering what else will happen….

I also believe when moving into the time of year when the sun rises earlier, our body adjusts to it as well. Especially here in northern countries, for being outside in the sun allows our bodies to fill up on large reserves of vitamin D.

Anyway sustainable living offers so much once you get used to it. It has such an amazing ” travel itinerary” ;-)

When I wake up feeling rested and ready to face the day, that seems to me to be a sign that I have had an adequate amount of sleep and even more convincing when I’ve woken naturally, rather than with the help of an alarm. For me, part of living sustainably is about observing nature and on a personal level observing that in ourselves and what works best for us. It’s great to hear that you’ve found a way of sleeping that works for you too and leaves you feeling rejuvenated, and also that you were willing to experiment with that to find a happy solution.

I’ve noticed recently that as the sunrise is happening earlier and earlier, so I’m also waking a little earlier as the weeks go by. I also go to bed quite early, usually by 10pm and find that definitely helps with feeling rejuvenated. I wonder how things will go as the nights get shorter. Will I need much less sleep than I have been in the winter, or will I be sleeping through some daylight hours, either in the evening or the morning?

Great reminder post.

You write:
someone who is leading a sustainable lifestyle will often wake naturally at or before

I’d like to share some of my experience with this.

Once I started living sustainable (now about 8 years ago) I used to have no curtains in my bedroom. I held the belief it was good to be woken up by nature’s sunrise.

Then I read how rejuvenating it is to sleep in a totally darkenend room. At first I totally dismissed that concept, strengthenend by the feelings a darkenend bedroom evoked.
The concept kept lingering in my mind and over time I decided I’d give it a try.

And low and behold….From the first night I installed the thick curtains I slept like a baby….
What I never expected happenend, I woke up much more rested, earlier and without an alarm, nor the rising sun.

So all n all I am happy to have finally surrendered to the rejuvenation hidden in the darkness. ;-)

Lisa

Marianna – welcome and thanks too for your kind comments. It can be so easy to just keep going all day and let the stress accumulate. I agree with you about the need to take care of our inner environment – so true.

This post beautifully depicts this.

One of the definitions for sustainable is: Capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment.

What more immediate & real environment than the one within? Having awareness, knowledge and application will enable us to sustain our life.

And no, I had no idea about the two different singing periods for birds.

I wonder which room we should enter at the end of the day. Perhaps we should walk through the emotional room before arriving at the mental room which can allow us to reflect on the experiences of our day.